SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO, identifier (ID: CRD42023455192).
METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 92 nursing students at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). The Big Five Inventory (BFI), Student Nurse Stress Index and Brief COPE instruments were used to measure the respondents' personality traits, stress level and coping mechanisms, respectively. Data were analysed using IBM SPSS version 26.
RESULTS: The most prevalent personality trait of the students was openness (mean = 33.58). Conscientiousness (r = -0.226, P = 0.030) and neuroticism (r = 0.326, P = 0.002) are significantly related to stress level. Extraversion (r = 0.219, P = 0.036), conscientiousness (r = 0.206, P = 0.049) and openness (r = 0.219, P = 0.036) show significant relationships with the approach coping mechanism, while agreeableness (r = -0.257, P = 0.013) and neuroticism (r = 0.297, P = 0.004) show significant relationships with the avoidant coping mechanism. However, no significant relationship was noted between personality traits and academic performance (r = 1.000, P > 0.05).
CONCLUSION: Knowledge of ones' personality traits may benefit students in understanding themselves and in using the best ways to cope with their stress while studying nursing.
METHODS: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study. All S. pneumoniae isolates collected from clinical specimens within a 1-year period were subjected to selected antimicrobial susceptibility testing using E-test strips. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis was conducted to detect macrolide-resistant determinants. The patient's clinical data were obtained from clinical notes.
RESULTS: A total of 113 patients with a positive growth of S. pneumoniae were included in the study. The most common predisposing factors among them were bronchopulmonary diseases (15.9%). The penicillin-resistant rate was 7.1%, with minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) ranging between 0.012 μg/mL and >32 μg/mL, and the erythromycin-resistant rate was 26.5%, with a MIC range of 0.03 μg/mL-> 256 μg/mL. Most of the erythromycin-resistant isolates were found to have the mef(A) gene (50.4%) and the erm(B) gene (20%); 16.7% had a combination of genes mef(A) and erm(B), and 13.3% had none of the two genes. Community-acquired pneumonia is the predominant type of pneumococcal infection. There was no significant association between the presence of macrolide resistance determinants and mortality (P = 0.837) or complications (P > 0.999 for empyema and cardiac complication; P = 0.135 for subdural abscess).
CONCLUSION: The majority of erythromycin-resistant isolates were found to have the mef(A) gene, followed by the erm(B) gene and a combination of genes mef(A) and erm(B).
METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Makkah and Malaysia during the 2013 hajj season. A self-administered proforma on social demographics, previous experience of hajj or umrah, smoking habits, co-morbid illness and practices of preventive measures against respiratory illness were obtained.
RESULTS: A total of 468 proforma were analysed. The prevalence of the respiratory illness was 93.4% with a subset of 78.2% fulfilled the criteria for influenza-like illness (ILI). Most of them (77.8%) had a respiratory illness of <2 weeks duration. Approximately 61.8% were administered antibiotics but only 2.1% of them had been hospitalized. Most of them acquired the infection after a brief stay at Arafat (81.2%). Vaccination coverages for influenza virus and pneumococcal disease were quite high, 65.2% and 59.4%, respectively. For other preventive measures practices, only 31.8% of them practiced good hand hygiene, ∼82.9% of pilgrims used surgical face masks, N95 face masks, dry towels, wet towels or veils as their face masks. Nearly one-half of the respondents (44.4%) took vitamins as their food supplement. Malaysian hajj pilgrims with previous experience of hajj (OR 0.24; 95% CI 0.10-0.56) or umrah (OR 0.19; 95% CI 0.07-0.52) and those who have practiced good hand hygiene (OR 0.35; 95% CI 0.16-0.79) were found to be significantly associated with lower risk of having respiratory illness. Otherwise, pilgrims who had contact with those with respiratory illness (OR 2.61; 95% CI 1.12-6.09) was associated with higher risk.
CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of respiratory illness remains high among Malaysian hajj pilgrims despite having some practices of preventive measures. All preventive measures which include hand hygiene, wearing face masks and influenza vaccination must be practiced together as bundle of care to reduce respiratory illness effectively.
Methods: In this study, individual BiONPs, Cis, and BRF, as well as combinations of BiONPs-Cis (BC), BiONPs-BRF (BB) and BiONPs-Cis-BRF (BCB) were treated to the cells before irradiation using HDR brachytherapy with 0.38 MeV iridium-192 source, 6 MV photon beam and 6 MeV electron beam. The individual or synergetic effects from the application of the treatment components during the radiotherapy were elucidated by quantifying the ROS generation and radiosensitization effects on MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines as well as NIH/3T3 normal cell line.
Results: The ROS generated in the presence of Cis stimulated the most substantial amount of ROS compared to the BiONPs and BRF. Meanwhile, the combination of the components had induced the higher ROS levels for photon beam than the brachytherapy and electron beam. The highest ROS enhancement relative to the control is attributable to the presence of BC combination in MDA-MB-231 cells, in comparison to the BB and BCB combinations. The radiosensitization effects which were quantified using the sensitization enhancement ratio (SER) indicate the highest value by BC in MCF-7 cells, followed by BCB and BB treatment. The radiosensitization effects are found to be more prominent for brachytherapy in comparison to photon and electron beam.
Conclusion: The BiONPs, Cis and BRF are the potential radiosensitizers that could improve the efficiency of radiotherapy to eradicate the cancer cells. The combination of these potent radiosensitizers might produce multiple effects when applied in radiotherapy. The BC combination is found to have the highest SER, followed by the BCB combination. This study is also the first to investigate the effect of BRF in combination with BiONPs (BB) and BC (BCB) treatments.
PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of IE on the marrow fat content and fat unsaturation levels in the proximal femur using 1 H-MRS.
STUDY TYPE: Prospective.
SUBJECTS: Twenty-three subjects were included in this study, seven control and 16 β-thalassemia subjects.
FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: 3.0T; stimulated echo acquisition Mode (STEAM); magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) sequence.
ASSESSMENT: Multiecho MRS scans were performed in four regions of the proximal left femur of each subject, that is, diaphysis, femoral neck, femoral head, and greater trochanter. The examined regions were grouped into red (diaphysis and femoral neck) and yellow marrow regions (femoral head and greater trochanter).
STATISTICAL TESTS: The Jonckheere-Terpstra test was used to evaluate the impact of increasing disease severity on bone marrow fat fraction (BMFF), marrow conversion index, and fat unsaturation index (UI). Pairwise comparison analysis was performed when a significant trend (P
METHODS: The study applied mixed-method embedded design to analyze both quantitative and qualitative data. Quantitative approach was used to evaluate sustainability perception from 20 intervention clinics via self-reported assessment form whereas qualitative data were obtained through in-depth interview (IDI) and focus group discussions (FGDs) 14 health care professionals participated in IDI session and were either care coordinators, liaison officers (LOs)/clinic managers, or medical officers-in-charge for the clinic's intervention. Nine FGDs conducted comprised 58 HCPs from various categories.
RESULTS: HCPs from all the 20 clinics involved responded to each listed Enhanced Primary Healthcare (EnPHC) intervention components as being implemented but the perceived sustainability of these implementation varies between them. Quantitative feedback showed sustainable interventions included risk stratification, non-communicable disease (NCD) screening form, referral within clinics and hospitals, family health team (FHT), MTAC services and mechanisms and medical adherence status. Qualitative feedback highlighted implementation of each intervention components comes with its challenges, and most of it are related to inadequate resources and facilities in clinic. HCPs made initiatives to adapt based on clinical setting to implement the interventions at best level possible, whereby this seems to be one of the core values for sustainability.
CONCLUSION: Overall perceptions among HCPs on sustainability of EnPHC interventions are highly influenced by current experiences with existing resources. Components perceived to have inadequate resources are seen as a challenge to sustain. It's crucial for stakeholders to understand implications affecting implementation process if concerns raised are not addressed and allocation of needed resources to ensure overall successfulness and long term sustainability.